JOHN KEATS’ LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCI: AN ECOCRITICAL READING

Ecocriticism has an important role in the modern world. It is the study of literature with the viewpoint of nature. The term ecocriticism was possibly first coined in 1978 by William Rueckert in his essay “Literature and Ecology: An Experiment in Ecocriticism”. By ecocriticism, Rueckert meant “the application of ecology and ecological concept to the study of literature.” Cheryll Glotfelty defines “Ecocriticism is the study of the relationship between literature and physical environment.” Literature has played an important role in world history. It has influenced all the social, religious, political movements of the world. It has resolved all the major issues of the world. Nature has been an important part of our literature. Landscape, scenery, Natural beauty and Flora and fauna have been described in all our greatest works. All our greatest poets and writers were concerned about the environment and its problem. In the present era, Environmental problems like global warming, ozone depletion ecological dis-balanced, etc. are major issues regarding our environment. Unlike all other matters, every work of our literature has been connected with the environment but it's our present need to study it with the view of Ecocriticism so that we may resolve the problems of the present and upcoming environmental crisis.